Thoughts on Life and Christ from a Stay at Home Mom

Fitness Inspiration

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My husband got me a gym membership last week, it is pretty awesome. We have to drive 30 minutes (he’s getting an amazing deal from his work), so that will probably limit my use quite a bit, but I’m hoping to go 2-3 times a week. The first time I went, they gave me a tour and I spent my time doing weight machines and a little bit of elliptical and stair stepping. I was so incredibly sore. I could feel my ribs, who knew we even had muscles on our ribs? We went as a family after church yesterday and the kids went swimming in the pool while my husband and I took turns working out. Too bad the pool closes in a few weeks for fall. I’m planning on testing their indoor tennis court rules by bringing my kids there in the winter and letting them “pretend” to hit balls and run around. Maybe I’m giving them too little credit and they’ll be able to play tennis better than me? They also have a daycare I will probably use and they’ll even take my 7-almost-8 year old. I’m excited about it. Hopefully, I can grow back some of the muscles I lost from the pregnancies.

New Goals!
-no eating after 8!
-exercise 5x per week and keep track of it on the calendar
-keep a food journal

So I’m on day seven of Jillian Michael’s 30 Day Shred, the workouts are finally getting easier although I’m still doing modified push-ups. I think I can handle moving up to level two. I stepped on the scale before my shower hoping….hoping…and nothing. I still haven’t lost any weight. I’ve been doing okay eating, well maybe I had an egg biscuit sandwich yesterday, that probably wasn’t good, and maybe I did have some chocolate chips before bed last night. Okay, I need to start tracking my food, really start tracking it, and planning what I’m going to eat BEFORE I eat it.

God, you are a God who can do ALL things, You can do anything! Please help me to get rid of this ugly stomach, that’s all I’m asking, just this one thing….and you know what pops into my head? Coffee. Really God, coffee? This doesn’t sound like it’s from the bible, I’m not sure that’s You speaking, maybe it’s just my subconscious putting weird things into my head. Coffee isn’t supposed to be that bad for you. I’m Swedish, coffee and cinnamon rolls are what I’ve been consuming since I was 4 yrs old. Home isn’t home without the smell of coffee brewing. I do put about an eighth cup of cream and a spoonful of sugar in it, and I do drink it all day long when it’s cold out. Water is gross. I don’t want to give up my coffee!!!!! But I do want to get rid of this ugly ugly stomach. But this weekend we’ll be travelling. Okay, giving it up on Monday. God, I’m going to need your help, and I’m going to need a new smell in my house to replace coffee smell. Please make my house smell like home if I have to give up coffee.

Working out becomes more challenging with three kids added to the mix. Since it’s so cold outside I’ve been doing Jillian Michael’s 30 day Shred videos. They are only 20 minutes long, but it is HARD!

Anyway, I discovered the kids add an extra challenge. The energetic music draws them in to the excitement, when I get down for push-ups Prov tries to climb onto my back, when I lay down for sit-ups, she snuggles up close beside me and makes it difficult not to hit her. I have to keep two extra sets of very light weights for Prov and Cara. Cara does the jumping jacks and weight exercises next to me, but then she starts swinging the weights and smashes her finger or rolls one onto her toe and I have to pause the video to comfort her. Yesterday Prov decided to pee on the floor behind me while I was exercising, she never does this, I wonder if she was jealous of my attention? They seem to find lots of questions that need to be answered when they see me busy working out. I also have to be careful not to hit anyone in the head with the hand weights as they stay busy around me. During my short 20 minute workout, I usually have to hit the pause button three or four times for minor emergencies that need to be handled right away.

I like seeing them jump up and down and their jumping jacks and forward punches are very cute. Overall, it makes me happy to do something with them that they enjoy. I’m just hoping for a smoother workout today, maybe only two pauses of the video and no injuries or messes on the floor would be good.

We went to the pumpkin patch today, it is an annual tradition for us. The girls fed the goats, we went on a hayrack ride, we played on slides and horse merry-go-rounds, we went through corn mazes and came home exhausted to eat chili and cinnamon rolls.

I’ve been doing poorly with my goals, so this week I’m only going to have one. I’m going to write down every bite of food I eat. I’m still going to try and eat healthy, but it won’t be a goal, baby steps for me this week.

I’ve been kind of depressed lately, and I think it might be related to my poor eating choices, when I eat crap, I feel like crap so hopefully I can get out of this rut soon. I’ve just been angry and sad and can’t seem to shake it.

I’m all out of chamomile tea tonight, so peppermint will have to do. Homeschooling has been going better, the girls are getting used to our rhythms and aren’t complaining as much. They went to children’s church tonight and while they were gone Prov and I had some one-on-one time, at least 30 minutes was spent trying to kill some flies that were buzzing around our house and scaring her. I started reading Little House on the Prairie to the older two at bedtime, they seem interested in it but it is hard for them to sit still.

I read a good blog today about goals, and I haven’t set any goals for quite awhile, so I thought I needed to again. With God’s help, here are some changes I want to do to make our lives better.

1. Exercise 5X a week, just walking and if I feel like it running. Around 3-4 miles/time.

2. Start homeschooling at 9 am. We’ve gradually been starting later and I think we’re all happier if we start earlier.

3. Spiritual goal? I don’t have one right now, will have to think about it.

4. I would like to plan a date night for husband every other week, I’ve got it written on the calendar but I haven’t been doing it.

Yesterday was a good eating day and my run this morning went well. My friend wants me to go on a long run with her this weekend, 8 miles, I’m a little scared, my husband said he doesn’t mind watching the kids while I go.
Some cute things the girls did yesterday
-Prov spent quite a long time playing and laughing with a fly in the window.
-Cara covered herself in hair-tyes and accessories and rode her scooter through the house all morning. (Yesterday she told me she wants to be a stunt skateboarder and I told her to start out on her scooter.)
-We had to come home twice because we couldn’t get Cara’s shoes right before preschool. The first ones were too small, the next ones were two right feet (one her sister’s). The third pair she didn’t like, but she wore them anyway.
-After naptime, Prov insisted that I carry four stuffed animals to the couch along with her to cuddle.
-Hope has told me that she plans to marry Nicholas when she gets older, he has told her he is a farmer boy and he loves God (she really wants horses), so her criteria for a husband has been met by him.

Goals for Today
eat strictly low carb
spend time playing with girls
go to playgroup
make supper
sew up tear in couch
plan an at-home date night for my husband and myself
don’t play on the computer during my evening hours

1 Lord, you have been our dwelling place
throughout all generations.
2 Before the mountains were born
or you brought forth the whole world,
from everlasting to everlasting you are God.

3 You turn people back to dust,
saying, “Return to dust, you mortals.”
4 A thousand years in your sight
are like a day that has just gone by,
or like a watch in the night.
5 Yet you sweep people away in the sleep of death—
they are like the new grass of the morning:
6 In the morning it springs up new,
but by evening it is dry and withered.

7 We are consumed by your anger
and terrified by your indignation.
8 You have set our iniquities before you,
our secret sins in the light of your presence.
9 All our days pass away under your wrath;
we finish our years with a moan.
10 Our days may come to seventy years,
or eighty, if our strength endures;
yet the best of them are but trouble and sorrow,
for they quickly pass, and we fly away.
11 If only we knew the power of your anger!
Your wrath is as great as the fear that is your due.
12 Teach us to number our days,
that we may gain a heart of wisdom.

13 Relent, Lord! How long will it be?
Have compassion on your servants.
14 Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love,
that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.
15 Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us,
for as many years as we have seen trouble.
16 May your deeds be shown to your servants,
your splendor to their children.

17 May the favor of the Lord our God rest on us;
establish the work of our hands for us—
yes, establish the work of our hands.

Lord, you have been convicting me lately of spending my time more wisely. I think I’ve become rather addicted to the internet/blogging world and would like to spend my time being a better mom and wife instead. Teach me how precious time is and how quickly it slips away from us. Help me to spend today showing my children who You are, helping them to really get that You love them. I haven’t been doing well meeting my health goals either. I think I’m just going to try to go one entire day of eating healthy instead of a whole week. Give me the strength and discipline I need to say no today to bad food. Give me a passion to teach my children about You God. Help me not to waste my day on foolish decisions.

Goals for the Day:
Cook and de-bone turkey
no sugar or bread
do a devotional with Cara
mow the lawn tonight
go for a walk after mowing the grass to get the rest of my miles in?
keep the house mostly clean
finish the laundry
only check the computer once today after picking Hope up from school
spend 30 minutes reading books or just playing with kids.
sew up tear in couch